Nilbar Güreş to represent Türkiye at 2026 Venice Biennale
ISTANBUL
The Türkiye Pavilion at the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia will present an exhibition by acclaimed artist Nilbar Güreş, coordinated by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV).
The pavilion, curated by Başak Doğa Temür, will be on view from May 9 to Nov. 22, 2026.
Güreş, known for her poetic, witty and critical engagement with cultural symbols, gender issues and social inequalities across multiple media, was unanimously selected by the Advisory Board of the Türkiye Pavilion. The board included art historian Ceren Özpınar, curators Chus Martínez, Öykü Özsoy Sağnak and Ulya Soley.
For the 2026 edition, Biennale curator Koyo Kouoh has chosen the theme “In Minor Keys.” The board stated that Güreş’s practice embodies resilience and resistance and resonates internationally, making her an exceptional choice to represent Türkiye.
Born in Istanbul in 1977, Güreş studied painting at Marmara University before completing her graduate studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. She also pursued art and textile pedagogy at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna. She has received numerous awards.
Her works, often beginning from personal and biographical experiences, expand to address broader social injustices and codes of cultural identity through research, documentation and playful subversion. Güreş currently lives and works in Naples, Vienna and Istanbul.
